Mediterranean Blue is a real Greek treat

Review

Mediterranean Blue. (Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel )

July 15, 2010|By Heather McPherson, FOOD

Gail Givoglu is my kind of cook. There are no mistakes in the kitchen, just creative solutions. That's how lima bean hummus ($3) got on the menu at Mediterranean Blue, the new eatery that took over the space formerly occupied by Theo's Kitchen on Michigan Street.

"I overcooked some lima beans and I wasn't going to throw them out," she said with a hearty laugh. "So I turned them into hummus." It worked for me and apparently for other customers as well.

"People have been intrigued by the name and are really taking to it," she says. The coloring is a little richer and darker than garbanzo bean (chickpea) hummus, and mild limas are a good candidate for a tahini (sesame seed paste) infusion. In fact, I thought the lemon, garlic and olive oil notes came through a little clearer in the lima variation than the traditional dip. And I am willing to concede that perhaps it was simply the bean twist that made me more aware of the elements. Enough with the contemplation: This stuff is good.

Gail and her brother Bobby Givoglu decided to get into the restaurant business when Theo's Kitchen moved to a larger location (at first elsewhere on Michigan Street and then eventually at 2950 Curry Ford Road). No strangers to the food business, the siblings refurbished the corner spot into a bright and clean quick-serve eatery. Guests place orders at the counter and pick up food as the kitchen readies it. On a slow day, they will even bring the food to the table. Fountain beverages ($1.59) are self-serve, and there's a cold case with bottled refreshments near the counter.

My guests and I did not have to wait long for our savory moussaka ($8.50), the chicken souvlaki ($5.95) and "king" gyro ($6.70).

Everything is house-made and it shows. The moussaka builds from soft layers of sliced potatoes to a subtly sweet ground-meat mixture flavored with nutmeg and cinnamon to a crown of whipped potatoes. The large square portion came with a small Greek salad composed of ultra-crisp greens, black olives, red onions and crumbled feta cheese with a small container of oil and vinegar dressing.

The souvlaki and gyro were both tucked into warm pita bread wraps. Each had generous amount of tzatziki, the traditional cool and creamy yogurt sauce crafted with diced cucumbers and freshly minced garlic.

We were not going to have dessert, but Gail's baklava ($3) was a honey-drenched temptress. One large wedge – and three forks later – it was pronounced the best baklava ever. (Yes, even better than the one I bragged about last week.) There was an unexpected freshness and tenderness to the phyllo, and the sugary chopped-nut center melted on the tongue.

We chose fountain drinks, but Mediterranean Blue also has a small selection of Greek, Italian and Moroccan bottled beers as well as a limited number of wines.

The printed menu is simple with only eight sandwiches and three sides. Be sure to ask about the "hot" specials (on my visit the moussaka and spanakopita, a savory spinach and egg pie) and check out the fresh-made salads.

Food arrives or is presented in the display case in clear packaging. "All corn-based and compostable," said Bobby Givoglu. "The paper and serving utensils are made from biodegradable materials, too. We are trying to be as green as possible."

That alone is enough to shout Opa! But it's the food and friendly service that will keep you coming back.

Try for yourself

Mediterranean Blue

Where: 435 E. Michigan St. (at Osceola Avenue), Orlando

When: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday

How much: $6-$9

Beverages: Soft drinks, international bottled beers and wines by the glass